Lionsgate
Dave Bautista was catapulted to Hollywood superstardom after playing Drax the Destroyer in Marvel Cinematic Universe films like "Guardians of the Galaxy." Be that as it may, the actor continues to lend his talents to underseen flicks that deserve more recognition. J.J. Perry's "The Killer's Game" is one of those movies, and it co-stars Bautista's fellow MCU vets Pom Klementieff ("Guardians of the Galaxy"), Ben Kingsley ("Wonder Man"), and Scott Adkins ("Doctor Strange").
"The Killer's Game" sees Bautista play a hitman who puts a contract out on his own life. His name is Joe Flood, and he believes that he's dying after being diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease. Then he finds out the doctors were wrong, and he is going to live, but there's one problem: other killers are still after him. To make matters worse, the assassins also target his new girlfriend, Maize (Sofia Boutella), and he isn't happy about that. Cue the bullets.
Kingsley plays Joe's mentor, who tries to encourage his protégé to give up killing and live a normal life. Klementieff's character is less supportive of his survival, though, as she helps Joe orchestrate the hit on himself. Finally, Adkins plays one of the killers who is out to eliminate Joe and get the bag — and he teams up with a hulking brute played by Drew Galloway, otherwise known as WWE's Drew McIntyre.
Awesome premise? Check. A cast made up of actors with strong action movie bona fides? Check. With that in mind, let's discuss why action fans will get a kick out of "The Killer's Game."
The Killer's Game doesn't take itself too seriously
Lionsgate
"The Killer's Game" isn't original enough to ever be considered one of the best action movies of all time, but it's better than you think. If you can get behind a self-aware "Smokin' Aces" and "John Wick" redux starring professional wrestlers and MCU actors, you won't be disappointed. One fan on Letterboxd summed the experience up perfectly:
"It's dumb as hell and overly stylized, punctuated by silly jokes and brutal violence — I had a really good time."
What's more, "The Killer's Game" features some genuinely thrilling action sequences — gun play, knife fights, fisticuffs, you name it. Dave Bautista even pulls out some of his old wrestling moves, as one scene sees John Flood clothesline an assassin who specializes in martial arts. In another scene, an assassin destroys a goon with punches and kicks set to the rhythm of a salsa dance. What's not to love?
"The Killer's Game" is cheesy, albeit not to the point it becomes an outright comedy. The ridiculous story is told with just the right amount of straight-faced bravado, which makes it even more entertaining. Marvel fans just shouldn't go in expecting to see Bautista and Pom Klementieff play allies again.
English (US) ·